This caramel frosting recipe is smooth, creamy, and packed with deep caramel flavor. Made with real caramel sauce—either homemade or store-bought—it whips up in 10 minutes and is perfect for frosting cupcakes, cakes, cookies, and more.
Whether you’re after a sweet vanilla finish or a dramatic salted caramel swirl, this frosting delivers. It’s silky enough to spread, stiff enough to pipe, and guaranteed to take any dessert to the next level.
Back in my custom cake days, this frosting was one of my best-kept secrets. I first used it on a tall caramel apple drip cake with a touch of sea salt—and my caramel cupcakes with chocolate drizzle. My client literally asked me to label it “dangerously good” on the box. Ever since, it’s become a staple in my kitchen, especially when I want something a little more luxe than plain vanilla. I’ve always made it with homemade caramel sauce, but nowadays you can buy great-quality caramel sauce in stores, so it’s even easier to whip this up on a whim.
What Is Caramel Frosting?
Caramel frosting is a butter-based frosting flavored with real caramel sauce. Unlike frostings made with brown sugar or extracts, this one gets its rich taste from cooked sugar, butter, and cream—giving it a toasty, buttery, deep caramel flavor.
Depending on how much salt you add, it becomes a salted caramel frosting, which is especially delicious for balancing sweet cakes or rich chocolate bakes. Just a pinch of flaky sea salt transforms this from sweet and creamy to absolutely addictive.
Why is this the best recipe?
- Big caramel flavor – This isn’t brown sugar pretending to be caramel. It’s the real deal.
- Quick & easy – Only takes 10 minutes to make.
- Flexible – Use homemade or store-bought caramel sauce.
- Pipeable or spreadable – Works for tall swirls or silky smooth finishes.
- Customizable – Add salt for a salted caramel frosting, or a dash of espresso for caramel latte vibes.
Ingredients and substitutes
For Homemade Caramel Sauce:
- Granulated sugar – For classic caramel flavor. You can substitute light brown sugar for a milder toffee note.
- Unsalted butter – Adds richness and helps emulsify the sauce.
- Heavy cream – Creates that creamy, pourable consistency.
- Salt & vanilla – For balance and enhanced flavor.
For the Caramel Buttercream:
- Unsalted butter – Room temp for smooth, fluffy frosting.
- Powdered sugar – Sweetens and stabilizes the buttercream.
- Heavy cream or milk – Adjusts consistency.
- Caramel sauce – Either homemade or store-bought.
- Vanilla extract – Optional but recommended for extra depth.
- Salt (optional) – Add a pinch for a salted caramel buttercream variation.
Step-by-step: Caramel buttercream recipe
To Make Homemade Caramel Sauce (optional)
- Heat sugar in a dry, light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Swirl (don’t stir) until melted and amber-colored.
- Carefully whisk in the butter—it will bubble!
- Slowly pour in the cream while stirring constantly.
- Stir in vanilla and salt, if using. Let cool completely before using in frosting.
To Make the Caramel Frosting
- In a stand mixer or large bowl, beat the butter until pale and fluffy (2–3 minutes).
- Add the caramel sauce in two additions, beating well after each.
- Gradually add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Mix on low then medium-high until incorporated.
- Add vanilla and salt (if using), and whip for 2–3 more minutes until smooth and creamy.
- Adjust consistency with a little cream if needed. Chill if piping tall swirls.
Tips for Success
- Use room temp butter – Cold butter = lumpy frosting.
- Cool your caramel – Never add hot caramel to butter.
- Add sugar slowly – Prevents clumps and over-sweetening.
- Chill before piping – For taller swirls or intricate designs.
- Taste as you go – Adjust salt, sugar, or caramel to suit your dessert.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| Frosting too runny | Add more powdered sugar or chill for 10–15 mins. |
| Too stiff | Add 1 tbsp cream or milk at a time until soft. |
| Separated or greasy | Caramel too warm—chill briefly and re-whip. |
| Too sweet | Add a pinch of salt or a tablespoon of unsweetened cream cheese. |
| Not enough caramel flavor | Add more caramel sauce, but go slowly to maintain structure. |
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Frequently asked questions
This buttercream will keep in the fridge for up to a week. You can also store leftovers in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight for best results
Yes! Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and re-whip before using.
You can use plant-based margarine or vegan butter, but the texture and flavor may vary slightly. Coconut oil won’t work well here.
Condensed milk can be used to make dulce de leche, which works as a caramel substitute. However, it’s much thicker and sweeter—so you’ll need to reduce the powdered sugar and adjust the consistency with cream.
Caramel is made with white sugar, while butterscotch is made with brown sugar. Butterscotch has a unique flavor that comes from the molasses in the brown sugar.
Recipes that use brown sugar are often enhanced with the flavor of butterscotch. Coffee and chocolate both work well with it as well.
Not exactly. Toffee has a slightly different base (often with brown sugar and less cream), but the flavors are similar. You can absolutely use this as a substitute for toffee-flavored frosting.
Just add a pinch (or two) of flaky sea salt at the end and taste to your liking.
Caramel Frosting Recipe
A good caramel buttercream is smooth, rich, and glossy. It's made with homemade caramel sauce that takes just five minutes to make. Drizzle some caramel sauce and a few grains of salt for that salted caramel buttercream everyone craves.
Video
Ingredients
- 200 grams (1 cup) Granulated sugar
- 85 grams (6 tbsp) Unsalted butter cubed
- 120 ml (½ cup) Heavy cream room temperature
- ½ tsp Vanilla extract optional
- Pinch of salt optional + more for sprinkle
- 226 grams (1 cups) Unsalted butter softened
- 250 grams (2 cups) Powdered sugar sifted
- 250 grams (1 cups) Caramel sauce cooled
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract optional
- Pinch of salt (or more for salted caramel version)
Method
- Heat the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until it melts and turns deep amber. Add the butter carefully—it will bubble—and stir until melted.200 grams Granulated sugar, 85 grams Unsalted butter
- Slowly pour in the cream while whisking constantly. Stir in vanilla and salt. Let cool completely before using in frosting.120 ml Heavy cream , ½ tsp Vanilla extract , Pinch of salt
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter until pale and fluffy—about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the caramel sauce in two parts, beating well after each to combine.226 grams Unsalted butter , 250 grams Caramel sauce
- Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat on low until combined, then on medium-high for another 2 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla and salt. Mix to combine and adjust salt to taste if making a salted caramel version.250 grams Powdered sugar , 1 tsp Vanilla extract , Pinch of salt
- Chill for 10 minutes if needed for piping, or use immediately to frost cakes, cupcakes, or sandwich cookies.
- Storage: Keeps refrigerated for up to 1 week. Bring to room temp and re-whip before using.
Notes
Tips for Success
- Use room temp butter – Cold butter = lumpy frosting.
- Cool your caramel – Never add hot caramel to butter.
- Add sugar slowly – Prevents clumps and over-sweetening.
- Chill before piping – For taller swirls or intricate designs.
- Taste as you go – Adjust salt, sugar, or caramel to suit your dessert.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
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Hi, I’m Veena
I’m the recipe developer, baker, and food photographer behind Veena Azmanov Kitchen.
I’ve spent years developing and testing recipes, from everyday meals and homemade breads to cakes and desserts.
I share the practical tips and little details I’ve learned along the way so you can get great results in your own kitchen.
Would this recipe be a good choice to go under a fondant cake that will be at an outdoor event end of May in Florida heat?
Hey Janet. This is a soft consistency icing so if it is hot – perhaps not the right frosting to use for that weather. Try using a cake decorator’s chocolate ganache instead. It is more stable.
Hi Veena! This looks so delicious. I would like to use this to frost some cupcakes but I almost don’t want to alter it in anyway but had two questions.
1. I would like a red color…would the red dye alter the taste at all?
2. If I want to pipe roses and flowers would you suggest I do a different buttercream (like your American) batch for those flowers so I can achieve stiffness? This caramel frosting looks like I wouldn’t want to alter it much, it’s beautiful as is!
Hey Stephanie. This is a soft consistency icing and not suitable for making flowers. Also, the caramel color would alter the red color so you won’t get a pure red.. it would be a dull red.
And this is definitely not the icing for buttercream flowers. You can make flowers with my stiff buttercream frosting, American buttercream, as well as Swiss meringue or Italian meringue
Oooo so glad I asked! I didn’t even consider the look of the color when mixed with the caramel! Thank you!
A delicious buttercream recipe for caramel lovers. Thanks
Thank you Pinar.
Oh my daughter is the baker in our family and she’s always on the hunt for a new buttercream recipe. I’ll have to show this one to her, it looks delicious.
Thanks Alexis. Then you must share my blog with her – she will love some of these recipes.
This sounds divine, like all of your icings!! We used your chocolate buttercream a couple of weeks ago when making cupcakes and I was so worried I wouldn’t have enough because I kept eating it (ha!). I will have to bookmark this one for an apple cupcake!
Thanks, you Melisa. So happy you enjoyed my chocolate buttercream recipe. I know what you mean. I have the habit of over tasting my filling and frostings too.
I swear, Veena, I’m not a cake eater but when I see your recipes my mouth starts drooling. The caramel buttercream frosting would be the perfect finish to an apple cake. There isn’t a dessert you make that I wouldn’t want to dig into. Oh, I had to laugh — I’m reading all about your frosting and cake and then what pops up? An ad for watching your weight and low carb dishes. Pretty funny. I ignored the ad and kept reading about the caramel and butterscotch frosting.
Thanks, Marisa. Apple and caramel is a match made in heaven. These workout ads always have a way of showing up at the wrong time – I was eating apple strudel yesterday and one popped up on the TV sharing diet tips. Always cracks me up.
Ooh yummy. I love that you provided so much tips on using buttercream. I would def need it. The caramel takes it over the top for me. That cake is gorg!!
Thanks, Renz. Glad you find my tips useful. The caramel is really wonderful.
This frosting sounds wonderful! I the consistency comes out too thin, can I refrigerate it a few minutes to thicken it? I bet this would be delightful on chocolate or peanut butter cake too!
Absolutely, Julie, you can definitely place it in the fridge for a few minutes. It would be perfect on many other cakes, cupcakes, and treats. Thanks
This is absolutely fantastic! This looks sooooo good! I bet those flavors are amazing! Cannot wait to try this! Love!
Definitely amazing if you love caramel Mahy. Thanks
I just love how fluffy this looks. Caramel is my weakness so I am not sure that bowl would make it on top of a cake before me eating it all! Beautiful video!
Mine too Claudia. I love caramel and butterscotch very much. Thanks